Final in a series of studies of Mark 8:34-37
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37).
To emphasize His point about the inestimable value of the soul, Jesus here asks two rhetorical questions in the form of extreme contrasts, both centering around money.
Consider the total value of everything in the world and place that vast amount up against the value of one soul—the soul is more valuable. Then, He makes it personal: is there anything in the world for which a person would exchange his soul?
The answer is: Nothing. There should be nothing for which a person would exchange his or her soul. If we lose our soul, we are sentenced to eternal punishment; and there is no way to change that situation once we pass into eternity.
The wonderful news is that Jesus as well as God wants us to succeed. That’s the reason they laid out and implemented the plan for our salvation. And Jesus gives the essence of that plan in verse 34: deny self, take up our cross, and follow Him.
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